Ironman Cozumel Race Report

2 months after the race, maybe I should post some info on this race.

Training:
According to my training log, I averaged 8.1 hours per week for the 36 weeks before the race.
bike - 56% and 81 miles/wk
run - 41% and 25 miles/wk
swim/other - 3%


Prerace:
2 bananas @ 5:30
1 GU @ 6:45
40-50 oz water
very liberal with body glide and suntan lotion


Prediction - 1:30 to 1:45
Result - 1:08:02 (everyone was 10 to 15 min faster than expected)
Swim: 130 of 183
Had to pee from start but couldn't make myself in water.
Stopped 3 times to empty water from goggles but it never helped. Eyes burned for about half the race.
Arms started feeling fatigued about 15 min into race - big lack of swim training.

T1:
9:03
small water bottle
Lots of chamois buttr and more suntan lotion
peed for a really long time

Bike:
Prediction - 17.5 to 18.6MPH
Result - 6:13:22 (18MPH)
Items to improve on.
1. Work on adding water to aerodrink. After failing twice I came to a complete stop at more than half the aid stations to fill it.
2. Just because there are 5+ bikes in front of me doesn't need I have to pass them all in 20 seconds. Ride my own race.
3. Mix the infinit morning of, not the night before. All the powder settled and became syrup at the bottom, and water at the top.
4. Determine an upper HR limit to use in addition to feel and avg speed.

other bike details.
1800 cal of Infinit
400 cal of GU
17 aid stations
1 filled wrong chamber
2-7 filled small chamber (x6)
8 no water avialable
9-12 filled small chamber (x4)
13, 15, 17 skipped
14, 15 filled small chamber (x2)
Total water - small chamber 17x13=221oz
started with 20 Endurolyte pills and used 10
no bathroom breaks on bike
stomach hurt, but I had high hopes it was due to being bent over in aero position. Best guess on cause of stomach was too hard on bike, and/or cal per hour at start was too high from all the powder settling to bottom of chamber overnight.
lap 1 18.7mph, 140HR too much passing packs then backing off
lap 2 18.2mph, 137HR felt like perfect pace for the course
lap 3 17.4mph, 136HR lap was missing one fast section the other 2 laps had. went easy last 8 miles to settle stomach

T2: 5:03
fresh socks
small water bottle
lots of petroleum jelly
Did not "have" to pee, but was able to some. Assumed hydration was not bad.


Run:
2 GU's
1 banana
4-5 orange peels
4 ritz crackers
2 servings of coke
h2o as I could stomach it
Goal - 3:45
Result - 5:10:28
Legs were able, but the stomach was not.
Mile splits 8:01, 8:47, 15:24, 9:15, 9:38, 9:00, 8:48, 10:24, 11:47, 13:34, 18:43, 15:59, 15:46, 9:18, 8:47, 11:25, 9:21, 9:01, 12:17, 10:09, 12:28, 11:48, battery died...

At first I thought that my stomach would feel better the longer I ran due to not being tucked into the aero position on the bike. That thought lasted 2 miles. The entire 3rd mile I walked, took in water, endurolytes, 1 gel, and an orange slice. I knew a great marathon wasn't going to happen if I walked an entire mile, but I was still hopefull for a sub 4:00 if my stomach started feeling better. Between the last part of the bike, and first part of the run, I probably took in 200 calories during 2+ hours. I had hopes that 15+ min of a lower HR would start to digest the calories. If felt like the calories in my stomach just needed time to start working. In retrospect, maybe I should of kept dumping the calories in. Most likely that would of made me vomit, which probably would of helped.

After running miles 4-7, I stopped and told my wife the 2nd lap was going to be really slow. Stomach was getting worse every mile. After that, my pace changed from slow and painful, to walking and soaking it in. Any hope of reaching a time goal was blown, and I was cool with that. It was a relief to realize my "race" was done. The only thing left was to walk across the finish line, which was 18 miles away. The next 4 miles I walked every step. I tried coke (yuck), ritz crackers, a banana, and lots of water. My main concern was avoiding a ride in the ambalance due to dehydration.

Halfway into the marathon I did attempt to run again, but the expectations were not high. Without nutrition, I knew I couldn't sustain of good pace. The last thing I tried to eat was before mile 13, and I had no intention of eating anything else. I assumed I'd finish around the 15 hour mark, but apparently I can't think on an empty stomach.

Total: 12:45:58 (101 of 183 in AG)